Socially Responsible Design

INCIDENT:
What is socially responsible design? It is merely design that addresses societal needs or is it something more?

Socially Responsible Design

MORAL:
When I saw the slide show on socially responsible design I was inspired. We all could be doing more in even the most seemingly insignificant ways. But it also had me questioning what is socially responsible design. It has many facets so many things can fall into this category. It should address a basic societal need such as food, water, and shelter. This was exemplified in the things that the International Herald Tribune chose for their piece. But shouldn't it also be environmentally sound? Or universally accessible? And shouldn't the solution use regional materials and skills?